vipw(1M)vipw(1M)NAMEvipw - edit the password file
SYNOPSISDESCRIPTION
edits the password file while setting the appropriate locks, and does
any necessary processing after the password file is unlocked. If the
password file is already being edited, you will be told to try again
later. The editor is used unless the environment variable indicates an
alternate editor.
performs a number of consistency checks on the password entry for and
does not allow a password file with an incorrectly formatted root entry
to be installed. To help reduce the possibility of leaving the system
in an unbootable state, root's entry is not considered properly format‐
ted if it has a user ID that is not zero, or if it has a shell other
than or
Please refer to passwd(4) and the manual for further details of pass‐
word file format.
WARNINGS
An file that is not removed when a system crashes prevents further
editing of the file using after the system is rebooted. is the stan‐
dard lock used by all commands which knowingly modify
Successful execution of is not sufficient for proper system operation.
To help maintain consistency with other system databases, editing of
the password file with is generally discouraged. Please use or to edit
AUTHOR
was developed by the University of California, Berkeley.
FILESSEE ALSOchfn(1), chsh(1), passwd(1), sam(1M), useradd(1M), usermod(1M),
userdel(1M), passwd(4).
vipw(1M)